The Conversation Podcast

The Current State Of The Taylor Bridge Fire: State officials are reporting that firefighters made major progress fighting the 22,000–acre fire in Eastern Washington over night, and it's now 25 percent contained. KUOW's Ann Dornfeld has the latest on the battle. One Woman's Story Of Evacuation: Hundreds of people have had to evacuate their homes due to the encroaching Taylor Bridge Fire. More than 70 homes have been consumed by the flames. Listen to one woman's account of her evacuation. How Do You Stay Cool In A Heat Wave? Health officials are urging people to take steps to stay cool during the hot weather. Forecasters have issued a heat advisory for the next few days, and temperatures are expected to peak in the low–90s in Western Washington. KUOW's Ruby de Luna reports. Hundreds Line Up For Deportation Waiver: Wednesday is the first day for children of immigrants, known as Dreamers, to apply for deferred action. That will allow qualified young people to apply for immigration status that would give them two years of legal protection and a work permit. KUOW's Meghan Walker has more. Customer Service, Via Tweet? Once used mostly for one–time promos and marketing, Twitter is now something businesses are relying on to provide customer service. For instance, Southwest Airlines tweets to alert folks about delays. And Best Buy responds to questions and complaints via Twitter. A report on companies that directly engage customers through Twitter.

President Obama's ambitious stimulus package has a price tag of more than $800 billion, larger than the New Deal initiated by FDR. It's been highly contentious for both the left and the right. How is this new, New Deal changing the country? Ross Reynolds delves into this issue with Michael Grunwald, the author of "The New New Deal."

Duff McKagan may be best known for his time as the bass player in Guns N' Roses but those days are long behind the Seattle based musician. Ross Reynolds sits down with musician and Seattle Weekly writer Duff McKagan to talk music, Seattle, what he is doing these days and answer the question, "Is Duff beer really named after him?"

The Latest On The Kittitas Fire: More than 900 people have been evacuated and scores of structures destroyed as a result of the fire burning in central Washington. Ross Reynolds gets the latest update from KUOW's Patricia Murphy. Chimpanzee Sanctuary Survives Fire: Firefighters on the scene of a destructive wildfire in central Washington are hoping to make major progress today toward containment of the blaze. The Kittitas County sheriff's office estimates more than 70 homes and cabins have been destroyed. But correspondent Tom Banse found an unusual story of survival among the ashes. He reports on a chimpanzee sanctuary that wasn't able to evacuate. Oil Containment Barge Source Of Small Oil Spills? More problems for the oil-spill containment barge being built on the Bellingham waterfront: Coast Guard officials say Shell Oil's Arctic Challenger has caused several small spills of its own in the past few weeks. KUOW's John Ryan reports. Puget Sound Tidal Energy Project Challenged: The Washington coast is home to some of the strongest tidal currents in the country. Some want to harness those tides for power. Ashley Ahearn reports a proposed tidal power facility in Puget Sound is running into some trouble. Grays Harbor Coal Terminal Plan Abandoned: One of the six proposals to build coal export terminals in the Northwest has been abandoned. The company RailAmerica has abandoned any current plans to construct a coal storage and export facility at the Port of Grays Harbor Terminal 3 in Hoquiam. EarthFix reporter Ashley Ahearn sits down with Ross Reynolds for an update.

This November Washington voters will decide the fate of Initiative 502, the measure to license and regulate marijuana for people over 21. Ross Reynolds sits down with three people who all have different perspectives on why the initiative should or shouldn't pass.

What is a naturopath? How does their practice of medicine differ from a conventional doctor's? Ross Reynolds sits down with a local naturopath to discuss training of a naturopath, the treatments they give and he takes your calls.

University Of Washington Is Fourth Greenest College In The Nation: The Sierra Club has just published its list of the Greenest Colleges in America, and the University of Washington placed fourth. That's down three spots from last year, when the UW was first. But according to the Sierra Club, that doesn't mean we have become less eco–friendly, only that other schools are catching up. We talk to the Sierra Club's lifestyle editor for more. Plans For A Bike Share In Seattle: Seattle may soon be the next major city with a bike sharing system — a program where people can pay a fee to rent a bike from a checkpoint in the city and return it at another location. Bike shares are already popular in Washington, DC, Sao Paulo and China, and in development in places like Portland and New York City. And the Puget Sound Bike Share is looking to bring one to Seattle. We get the details from the vice president of the Puget Sound Bike Share. Earthquake Study Raises Risk Potential Around Central Washington Dams: Central Washington was considered at low risk for earthquakes back when big hydropower dams went up on the Columbia River many decades ago. But a recently completed seismic hazard assessment has found greater earthquake potential for the area than previously thought. Now the dam owners have to figure out how to respond. Seismic retrofits could cost ratepayers across the region hundreds of millions of dollars. Correspondent Tom Banse has this exclusive report.

In the days of online applications, is an Internet–only hunt enough to get you the job? Or is the boots–on–the–ground, face–to–face interaction still the best way to get the job? We hear from job search experts and listeners about how people use in–person networking in the job hunt.

Since the 1970s, religious people have played a strong role in politics. Even among politicians who don't agree with the religious right, there's a strong endorsement of religious values. David Niose thinks it's time for a change. David Niose is the president of the American Humanist Association, an attorney who has represented secular Americans in court, and the author of the new book "Nonbeliever Nation: The Rise of Secular Americans."

Combat Vet With PTSD Booted From Army, Barred From Health Care: A decorated war veteran experiencing post–traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is being denied medical care because he was discharged for bad behavior. And he's not alone. Correspondent Austin Jenkins has this story in collaboration with The Seattle Times. How Will Federal Budget Cuts Affect Local Taxpayers? At the end of the year, automatic federal budget cuts are scheduled to kick in. How would they affect Washington state? Economy columnist for The Seattle Times Jon Talton joins us to explain how the numbers will play out.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) celebrates its 90th birthday this month. While the labor movement is flagging, the SEIU is growing rapidly. Ross talks with international president of the SEIU, Mary Kay Henry.

Free Seattle! What can you do here that costs nothing? Whether you're hosting summer visitors or getting out to enjoy the beautiful weather, how do you take in the city's riches without breaking the bank? We talk with David Volk, Seattle's self–proclaimed "Cheap Bastard," and take listener suggestions.

Was Race A Factor Judge's Election? A judicial race in Washington state is raising questions about racial bias among voters. KUOW's Liz Jones reports. Should We Eliminate Subsidies For Wind Power? Presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he will eliminate federal tax credits for wind farms if he's elected. Washington is the sixth major producer of wind energy in the country. What would happen to local wind power and other green energy sources if federal wind subsidies were eliminated? We get both sides of the argument from Washington energy experts. The Granddaddy Of All Logger Shows: The Morton Logger's Jubilee is taking place right now in Morton, Washington, near Mount Rainier. The weekend includes lawnmower races, axe throwing, choker setting, log rolling, single and double bucking, stock and hot saw, springboard chop, speed climbing, tree topping, vertical and horizontal chop, obstacle pole bucking, Jack N' Jill and Jill N' Jill bucking, and of course the Jubilee Queen Coronation. We talk to a logger who's competing in several of the exciting events.

The Seattle Opera is preparing for two grand anniversaries in 2013. Next year the Opera will celebrate its 50th anniversary and Speight Jenkins will celebrate his 30th year as the Opera's general director. We look back on the history of the Seattle Opera with Speight Jenkins and look into the organization's future.

It isn't uncommon that you hear a story about someone having their bike stolen, in fact it may very well have happened to you. Something you may not hear all the time are the stories about when people got their stolen bike back. Today on "The Conversation" we are talking to people who had their bike stolen and what they did to get it back.